Photo Cleaning

Cleaning photos is something that most people don't really think about until you need to do it. This usually happens when you pull out a long-forgotten album, look through it, and find a photo that you want to put somewhere else. When you try to remove the photo, you find yourself faced with the dilemma of it not wanting to come out! What to do?

Well, instead of panicking, use one of these methods so that you have a better chance at holding onto your precious memories. However, one thing needs to be noted: Anytime that you attempt photo cleaning or removing an old photo from an album you run the risk of damaging the photo. If you are willing to take this risk, then clean on!

• Dental floss. Use dental floss to help remove the picture from the album. Simply get a little bit behind one corner, and be patient. Work the dental floss from one end of the photo to the other. This method will remove the photo, but care should be taken. If you do not take care, you can easily find yourself cutting through your photo.
• Make a copy. The surface of a photo is essentially a gel that can soften over time, and re-harden and become permanently stuck to whatever it is touching. Considering that most methods of removal can leave a little damage, your best bet may be to try getting a good quality digital copy of the photo. After getting the copy, retouch the photo to remove any copy damage, and reprint your photo. Voila, good as new!
• Soak over night. Try soaking the photo overnight. This should soften the picture enough for removal. Be sure that you are especially careful though. A soaked picture can tear fairly easy, and if not careful you can smear the picture. After removing the picture, set it aside in a safe place to ensure it dries completely.
• Hire a professional. One of the ways that you can ensure that you are able to clean or restore your photos is by simply hiring a professional. While this method will definitely cost more than if you do it yourself, you are almost certainly guaranteed to have better results than if you do the task yourself.